Depending on which type of transportation you have chosen to ship your vehicle, this will dictate what kind of paperwork you will want to review before you sign on the bottom line. If you select to have a private driver for your vehicle, you will definitely want to see his or her valid driver\’s license. Talk with your local law enforcement, explain what you are doing, and ask if there is a way for you to find out if the individual has any kind of moving violations or accidents. Also, you want the driver to give you three local references for whom he or she has performed the same services.

The majority of auto transport companies will have their own paperwork that needs to be completed. In this case, make sure that you ask for the standard written agreement to be modified so that any annulment fees are waived should the company fail to collect your car at the agreed time. It\’s also important to check out the company\’s insurance policy as it pertains to any damage to customers\’ vehicles. Expert opinion is that car transport companies are legitimate 99 per cent of the time. In addition, many reputable companies take customer orders over the Internet or on the phone. Saying this, a company that asks you to send your money without delay through Western Union is likely to be a scam.

Some of the most common rip-offs are fake car transport companies pretending to be licensed and insured. All auto transporters must be authorized by USDOT, and have a bond to operate. If the company does not have a motor carrier (MC) authority or if it hides its credentials, the company is not legally authorized to do business as an auto transport carrier.

Check the Motor Carrier (MC) authority number for any car transport or van line company that you do business with. If this is not clearly displayed on the company website, or seems to be otherwise hidden, it\’s a signal that the company is not being transparent. You can examine the credentials of a company using the FMCSA Safety and Fitness Electronic Records (SAFER). Search for a company by its USDOT number, MC number, or name.

When you\’re checking out an auto transport company\’s website, look for a telephone number and give it a call. Most legitimate businesses will provide toll free or local numbers so that customers can call them. A non-legitimate business website will frequently have no number or a number that doesn\’t work. Make sure that the website provides details of a physical address or location, and verify this using Google or Yahoo maps. Many sham websites won\’t show a physical location for the business.

Any company that you are potentially going to do business with should be prepared to provide a written and signed estimate. This estimate should clearly display the shipping company\’s name. Even if everything looks legitimate, it is still a good idea to contact your local Better Business Bureau to ensure that the company isn\’t the subject of a significant complaint. It is also perfectly appropriate for you to ask the transporting company to provide three references from clients they have dealt with in the last year.

To read more on Car Transport or to get an online Auto Shipping Quote please visit MetroGistics.

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Author Bio: To read more on Car Transport or to get an online Auto Shipping Quote please visit MetroGistics.

Category: Automotive
Keywords: auto transport,auto shipping,vehicle shipping,logistics,car shipping,car transport